# Elgato Avea vs Controller for HomeKit

The clearest difference is rating: Controller for HomeKit at 4.1 against Elgato Avea's 2.7. Controller for HomeKit also leads on update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (2.8K vs 32). Elgato Avea's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (44% vs 27%). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Controller for HomeKit sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Elgato Avea asks for nothing beyond the download.

Controller for HomeKit holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Controller for HomeKit has 2.8K ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of Elgato Avea's written reviews are positive against 27% of Controller for HomeKit's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Elgato Avea ships an update every 2 months, Controller for HomeKit every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Elgato Avea | Controller for HomeKit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elgato-avea/id887809971/reviews) | **[4.1 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/controller-for-homekit/id1198176727/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 32 | **2.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **43.9% of reviews** | 26.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 100 MB | 210 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.3** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Eve Systems GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/329886714) | [acasa Software GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/974663980) |

## What reviewers say

### Elgato Avea

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elgato-avea/id887809971)

Create dynamic light moods in your home with customizable settings. Control your ambiance from your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch and wake up gently with a built-in sunrise alarm. Requires compatible Elgato Avea hardware.

**Highlights:** Dynamic light moods, Customizable settings, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch control, Built-in wake-up light scene, Bluetooth Smart connectivity

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Controller for HomeKit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/controller-for-homekit/id1198176727)

Enhance your smart home experience with advanced control and automation. Visualize your home with floor plans, track device performance with charts, and create complex automations tailored to your needs. Organize devices, store setup codes, and monitor your entire smart home ecosystem.

**Highlights:** Floor plan visualization with LiDAR, Device performance charts, Complex automations and workflows, Custom notifications, Smart folders and filters, Setup code storage, Device maintenance and logs

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Controller Essentials | $4.99 | per month |
| Essentials Lifetime - Plus Addon | $4.99 | per month |
| Controller Plus | $8.99 | per month |
| Essentials Lifetime - Plus Addon | $39.99 | per year |
| Controller Essentials | $39.99 | per year |
| Controller Plus | $79.99 | per year |
| Controller Essentials Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |
| Controller Essentials Lifetime | $139.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful automation features
- 📚 Helpful backup and restore functionality
- 🔍 Detailed logging and troubleshooting
- 🧠 Advanced HomeKit control and customization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crash-prone
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🤖 Poor customer support
- 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive UI

**Reported bugs**

- Backup and restore issues
- Disappearing automations and accessories
- Compatibility problems with iOS 16.2
- Slow performance and unresponsiveness

**Requested features**

- Improved documentation and tutorials
- Better integration with Apple Home app
- Support for more HomeKit device types
- Ability to customize automation triggers


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Elgato Avea free?

Elgato Avea is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Controller for HomeKit free?

Controller for HomeKit is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Elgato Avea or Controller for HomeKit?

Controller for HomeKit is rated higher. Elgato Avea averages 2.7 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Controller for HomeKit averages 4.1 from 2.8K ratings.

### Do Elgato Avea or Controller for HomeKit have ads?

Neither Elgato Avea nor Controller for HomeKit shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Elgato Avea or Controller for HomeKit?

Elgato Avea ships an update every 2 months, and Controller for HomeKit every 10 days. Most recently, Elgato Avea was updated on October 16, 2026 and Controller for HomeKit on October 20, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*